Contractible awning



Sept. 18, 1951 E. N. ARNOLD CONTRACTIBLE AWNING Filed April 14, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY Sept. 18, 1951 E. N. ARNOLD CONTRACTIBLE AWNING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 14, 1949 Patented Sept. 18, 1951 a 1 2,568,048 1 'cofi'raacrmm; AWNING V Elby N.- Arnold, Lawndaleg' cam. Application April 14, 1949, SeriaLNo. 87,54;

jlhis invention relates to collapsible or con- ,trabtable awnings, and more particularly, to such an awning which can be quickly and easily changed from a collapsed or contracted position to an extended position.

Although the awning of the present invention is particularly adapted to be used with house .trailers,'the awning herein shown can beactually us ed in any installation in which awnings have heretofore been used. For the purpose of illustratin the invention, however, the awning has been shown as an awning for a house trailer.

a Most owners of housetrailers today find that a awning isi'a necessity, particularly'where the iler is being used as a stationary residence. 'I e trailer awnings most, generally used today on'sist or aframework of tubular elements which forma support for a sheet of suitable awning material.

, Although collapsible or contractable awnings f have beenin use on'buildin'gs and other similar structures for manyyears, which awnings have generally consisted of an awning-supporting I framework pivotally'mou'nted to a vertical wall, suchaw'nings were not acceptable to most trailer lownersi'fo'r a number of reasons, the most important reason being 'that'they usually necessitated the use of fittings which took the entire load of the framework and awning material, and such fittings were found to be difiicult' to mount to the relatively thin sheet material forming the outer walls of'most house trailers. Furthermore, once installed, this" load was transmitted to 'the wall of the trailer, which was not designed to take the loadings thus imposed..- In the conventional by the frameworkywhich is supported as before explained by the vertical members extending upwardly from the ground adjacent the trailer. The awning of the present invention does not impose any loads on the trailer body not imposed by conventional trailer awnings used today, for the awning of. the present invention utilizes the same framework, which can be used without -change. In fact, many conventional awnings used ontrailers today can be very quickly converted into an awning embodying the present invention.

As in present day trailer awnings, the material 'isextended over the horizontal members ofthe frameworkto form a, canopy extending outwardly of. the trailer at the'one side thereof. To hold the awning material against movement in its extended position, resilient clamping means are .:provided on the vertically extending members of 35 house trailer awning used today the load istaken the ,framework'iadja'cent' the upper ends thereof, These clamp elements are detachably engaged with cooperating elements-carried by the'under surface of the. awning .material adjacent the outer edgethereof, and when moved to a closed position resiliently hold the awning material tau't in its 'extendedposition." V, The outer edge of the awning material is formed with a longitudinally extending pocket for re- .ceiv'ing a rigid,'elongate member extending the lengthoi the outer longitudinal edge of the awning material. This member forms a roller elementjup'on which the awning material can' be fizoundfas'the member is rolled up thehorizontal members extending outwardly from thetrailer body. Although" any m'eans can be used to revolve this roller'element," in the now preferred embodiment of the invention the rolling" actionis accomplished through'a detachable crank form'ed at its oneend'with a hook element receivablein an eye member provided at the'one endof the elongate roller member.

When itis desired to contract. the awning it ,is merely necessary to disengage the resilient clamps and through the use of the crank cause the roller element'to roll up the horizontal menibers of the framework, causing the awning materialtqwind itself upon the roller element'as the samem oves toward the trailer bodyg Once the awning material is completely wound upon the, roller element and is lying adjacent I the trailer body, the roller element can beheld against accidental movement by any means desiredto thus hold the awning contracted. To protectgthe rolled up awning against the elements, means are herein provided which vform .a' cover for thecontracted awning. The cover means can be moved'toga position in which the contracted. awning is completely coveredg and 'thus'the same not only protects the contracted awning from the elements but also forms an enclosuremember'which hides the contracted awn- Ting and thusimproves the appearance of. th

trailer when the awning is contracted.

ing' 1 of the present invention with the awning l $118615 hereof in its fully extended position; I v Figure 2 is an end elevational viewlof the-awning'o f the pres'entinvention showing theaw 5 sheet in a partially contractedposltion; r

Figure 3 is a section taken along line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view of the crank arm used to contract and extend the awning sheet;

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of one form of the housing for enclosing the contracted awn- Ing sheet;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing a modified form of the housing; 7 v

Figure '7 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the roller member and showing a part of the means used to hold the awning sheet in its fully extended position; r

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the arms for supporting the flexible sheet forming the housing shown in Figure 6; and

Figure 9 is a sectional viewdf'therailused to I secure the inner longitudinal edge of the awning sheet to the trailer.

The awning of the prsent invention, referring 'to "the'drawingfiaiid more particularl to .F "re '1 thereof, comprises"a frame for supportin "a flexible sheet of awning'materialll in-such a"wayjthat.the awning sheet extends outwardly ihtlieforinof aca opy froin'thestructure to be "shaded; such "asthetrailerindicatedat t2. The frame comprises a plurality'of substantially ver- 'ti'cal'extending members I3 disposed laterally at the one side of the trailer I'2,'each'formed at the -loi've'r'endWithaground' engaging pedal member Id. "The upper ends of the vertical members I3 fc'ai ry suitable connectors I5 for receiving the fii tnends of "substantially horizontal members fffiftheoppo'site orinner ends ofwhich are fixed 'to the trailer by meansof brackets I1.

'il plur'ality of relatively short lengths of tubul'arii'i'embers'are interconnected through the connectors I5 to form an elongate, substantially 'i'zont'altubular membfer I8. The opposite ends iii this member are preferably capped by "some suitabie taper plug element. "Although thehorizontal members iii are connected'at their inner ends to "the tr'ailerlz, the 'wei'ghtof theframe istak'en substantially bythevertically extending iiie'ii'ibrs'l3 sojthat'little if an yjloadis imposed ofn the trailer by the awning ofthe present inven- 'tio'n.

I The innerl'ong'itudinal'edge of'theawn'ing sheet TI is fixedto'the-trailer body 1 I 2 and in the now ii 'ferrhd-'embocliment 'of the invention *this inj'iie'r 'edgeis' fixe'd to the'trailer body by turning the edge back-upon itself andthen stitching the turned back 5 edge to provide an elongate pocket extending across the edge "in which 'is mounted '-a rope-or'-cable I9.- This constructiom'as should lie obvi'ous, forms abea'd extending across the inherlongitudinal edge of the awning which can '-'be mounted within a rail 2 I.

Therail 2| is channel shaped in cross section, *as 'best seen in Figure 9, and is secured to the upper portion of the wall ofthe trailer body by conventional fasteningelements such as screws or the like. The legs of the channel'are formed with in-turned flanges 22 defining a relatively narrow slot, the width of whichis less than the '65 diameter of the beadformed by therope orcable 1 9 mounted-in the. pocket formed by the folded back edge of the-sheet. The rail is of a length at leastas great as the width of the awning sheet II, which is preferably mounted to the-rail by introducing thebeaded edge thereof into either end of the rail and then sliding the'entire awning sheet along the rail until the former 'isin the desired position 'r'ela'tiv'e'to the trailer.

The body of theaw ni ng 'sh'e et II is'the'n disposed over the frame formed by the members I3,

I6 and I8 so as to extend outwardly from the trailer to form a canopy therefor. The awning sheet I I is somewhat longer than the members I6 5 of the frame, so that the sheet extends over and downwardly of the member I8 of the frame to form a valance 23, the lower edge of which may be scalloped or given some other configuration to increase the appearance of the awning.

The "awning so far described "is substantially like the conventional trailer awnings used today. In the conventional trailer awnings the awning sheet is permanently'secured to either the load carrying vertical members I3 or to the horizontal interconnecting member I8. Such an awning cannot be contracted, and if the occasion demands, as during-stormy weather when there is danger of the awning being torn from the frameworkbywinds or heavy downpours of rain it was necessary to disconnect the outer longitudinal edge portion of 'the awni'ng'sheet from its supporting frame'ancl then longitudinallyslide the awning'sheettodisengage it from-the inner-edgesecuring rail, "after'which the awning 'icould-b'e folded for storage in some storageicomp'artmerit. A'sthere is no'wayof contractingthese-awnings, trailers today are considerably darkened on "dull days bythe same, "fo'r'itis obvious-that the-cahopy formed "by the awning would restrict the amount of light entering through the winuowsar the trailer on the 'side *to which'the awmh' 'was attached.

The"clifiiculties had with prior trailer awnings arefobviated by-the present invention, for the awning df the presentinvention can be easlly and liui'ckly'contr'ated whenever itis'desi'red'to dbs'o. 'Intheawning of the present invention, "an" elongfieroasr tubular element Mis-permahehtlyattached to the upper edge of the valance-'meiribr 13. Although this "member may be attached to "the 'upperf edge of the valance by "any *theansaesired, the illustrated embodiment of the "mvention-the-"elemntis secured to th'eunderneath silde of 'the'valance '23'hy'iheahs of a plurality of 's'ub'st'ahtially S-"shape'd clamps 25 spaced apart a lo'rifithe up er longitudinal edge of the valanc 23.

drawing, that the bile ciirv'd section "(if each clamp is mounted around and ever :the tubular merriber 24 with theother curved sec'tion''xte'hdling downwardly and facing outwardly ofthe'awning to form a depending ho'ok-lik'e me'mber ZG. Thecurved section ofeach clamp mountedover the tubular member 24 isfixed thereto by some 'conventionalsecuring means such as the bolt 2 shown. -It is --now preferred to form spaced, tappedopem'ngsin the wallof the tubular mem- *ber'24' into whioh=the-bolts 'ZI-are threaded. The bolts-21 are also used to fixthetubular member "to theupper edge-of the valance 2'3, forthebolts are passed through preformed openings formed in the valance23. A smallwaslier suchas shown in -l igurefl 'i'spreferably'used between the val- '-aiice'23 and the headofthe bolt-2'! to protect-the material of the valance. A strip 28, preferably of the same material used to 'form the main body'of the awning, is

7 attach'd, as "by sewing, along the inner surface bf the valance 2 3 to fblfn elongate p'o'okt h'o'usihg the tubular member 2 4. This strip is formed "with "Small; pdid b llfillo iil'lol -lil' e 0136 11- in gs'tll'fbugh which tii hook elements ifi e'liten'd.

It *willb'e now 'sn that the tubular meiriber fl is" fixed within the pocket formedalong the upper edge of'the valan'cemember 23. i Although the weight of the tubular member 24 will tend to hold the awning II in its fully ex"- tended position, {it is now preferred to provide positive holding means which-may be carried adiacent'the upper ends of'the vertically extending'members13' of the frame and whichwhen engaged with the-hook elements 26 of the clamps 25 will tightly holdthe awning in its fully extended position. -'Io this end, the clamps- 25 are so mounted to the tubular member 24 as to be; properly positioned thereon with 1 respect to the'spaced vertical members I3. l a Although any means desired may be-fixed-to the vertical members I3 to cooperate :with the hookelements 26 to'positively hold the awning in its fully extended position, in the now preferred embodiment of the invention these means each comprise a collar 3 I' rigidly fixed about the upper end of each vertically extending member '-'I3. A coiled spring-32 slee'ving each tubular member I3 is fixedat its upper end to the-collar 3| carried by the member I3. Each spring'32 pivotally carries at its lower end an operating member or handle 33 which is formed with .a pair oflaterally extendingarms. 34 disposed on opposite sides of the vertically extending. member|3.,. I.

a A bail member 35 straddles the upper end of each member I3 and the free ends of the legs thereof are pivotally anchored to. the laterally extending arms 34 of the handle 33. The bow ofeach bail member 35 is adapted to be engaged by the hook 'elements326 of the clamps 25, and this can be easily accomplished by swinging the handles 33 outwardly of the vertical members I3 a distance sufficient to arcuately move the pivotal connection between the bail member and the arms 34 to permit the bow of the bail to drop over the hook elements. 26.. After the bow of each bail memberr35 is engagedwith its hook element 26 the handle member 33 is moved downwardly to a position in which the handle member 33 engages the vertically extending member I3. It will be seen thatasthe pivotal connection between the legs of the bail member 35 to the arms 34 moves inwardly'of the pivotal connection between the handle 33 and the spring 32, each bail member 35 will snap inwardly because of the toggle arrangement formed by the bail member 35 and the handle 33. As the lower ends of the springs 32 are not fixed to the vertically extending members I3, these springs will be compressed when the handle members 33 are moved downwardly against the members I3 and will resiliently hold the awning II taut across the upper urface of the frame.

To contract the awning of the present invention, it is merely necessary to disengage the bail members 35 from the hook element 26, which. as should now be understood, can be easily done by moving the handles 33 upwardly about the pivotal connection between the same and the springs 32. After the bail members 35 have been disengaged from the hook elements 26, the tubular member 24 can be rotated to cause the awning to wind up thereon by engaging a hook 36,

carried at the end of a long crank arm 31, with an eye 38 formed at the one end of the tubular member 24. The tubular member 24 can be very easily caused to roll up the frame members I6 by rotation of the crank arm 31 and thus wind the awning II about the roller element formed by the tubular member 24.

As the awnin Winds upon the roliereiement, the shortening awning carries the same and the portion of the awning wound thereon over the horizontal frame members I6 to a position in which the contracted awning is held as a compact roll contiguous to the rail 2|. i

To hold the roll of awning material in its compact or contracted position, a rope or cable 38 has one end thereof fixed to an eye of a ring 4| loosely carried by tubular member 24 adjacent the one end thereof. The opposite end of the rope 39 is passed over a pulley 42 fixed to the side wall of the trailer and then passed downwardly so that the same may be easily grasped .by the owner of the trailer. The free end of the rope 39 can be then fastened to some bracket or the like carried by the trailer to hold the awning in its contracted position.

As it may be necessary, because of the weather,

43 of material, preferably the same as that used to form the awning II, carried by a plurality of curved arms 44 pivotally mounted at spaced points along the trailer I2 as best seen in' Figure 1. Each arm 44 is formed with a laterally extending finger 45, referring now to Figure 8,. which is mounted in aligned openings formed in. spaced ears 46 of a bracket 41. The brackets; 41 are fixed at spaced points to the trailer I2 just-above the rail 2| so that the arms 44 normally extend outwardly therefrom. I Each finger 45 is sleeved by a coil spring 48, the one end of which is fixed to one of the ears 46, and the opposite end thereof is provided with an extension 49 formed at its free end with a claw element 50 grasping the inner end-of the curved arm 44. The coiled springs 58 normally hold the arms 44 in the position shown in Figure 2 to permit the contracted awning to be moved to a position contiguous to the trailer;

To move the arms 44 downwardly to the position shown in Figure 6, the outer ends of the arms 44" are each formed with a turned back portion forming an eye for receiving an elongate rigid rod 5| fixed in a pocket formed at the outer longitudinal edge of the strip 43. One or both ends of the rod 5| may carry a fitting 52, to which can be secured a rope or cable 53 extending downwardly to a position in which it can be grasped by the owner of the trailer to pull the curved arms 44 and the material 43 carried thereby downwardly to the position shown in Figure 6 in which the arms and the strip 43 supported thereby form a housing for enclosing and protecting the contracted awning I I. When it is desired to again extend the awning it is merely necessary to release the rope 53, whereupon the springs 48 move the arms 44 upwardly to the position shown in Figure 2, after which the contracted awning may be extended in the same manner as the awning was contracted. 7

There is shown in Figure 5 a modified form of the housing for enclosing and protecting the contracted awning. This housing in this form of the invention comprises an elongate strip 54 of some resilient material formed into a configuration somewhat J-shaped in cross section. The one longitudinal edge of the strip 54 is secured to the trailer I2 by the same means used to secure the rail 2|, as clearly seen in Figure 5. The resiliency of the material from w c r th ip i' is fo me n m ly te s to holdi the :strip in, the position-shown -i n,brok en lines in,l?igure 5 but yet will permit -the same to be moved to the position shown in-full lines in the fig u're referred to, in which position the strip 54 encloses the contracted awning. 1

Although 'any means desired can be ;used "to move the strip 54 to its enclosing position, it is now preferred to move'the strip by .meansof a; rope or cab1 e;55 securedat one or both ends of the strip 54. The rope or:cable-55-.can -,be secured to the strip 54 by forming oneor-both edgeseof the; {same with a small fitting 55 which may, if desired, be formed integral with the str 5 V Itrwill beseen now that in both-embodiments of the housing shown, the same isnormally held in a position in which the contractedawningmay move into aposition contiguous to the trailer but yet which can be moved downwardly-to an enclosing position to preserve and protect the contracted awning.

I Although the now preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown anddescribed herein, itis to be understood that the same -is not to be limited thereto, for it is susceptible to changes in form and detail within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

hAcontractable awning, comprising: asupporting frame extending outwardly from the structure tobe shaded by said awning and including ground engaging means for supporting said frame a flexible sheet of awning material; means for permanently connecting the inner longitudinal edge of said sheet to saidstructure, said sheet extending outwardly from said structure and overlying said supporting frame to be supported thereby; hook-like means spacedly carried by said sheet adjacent the outer longitudinal edge thereof; catch means carried by the outer'portion of said frame for 'releasably engaging said hook-like means; resilient means tending to retract said catch means whereby said sheet is'resiliently held in a fully extended position relative to said structure;-a-nd an elongate, rigid means carried by said sheet adjacent-the outer longitudinal edge thereof, upon which said sheet may be wound by rotation of said elongate means after release of said catch means; the winding of said sheet material about saidrotating elongate means shortening-the sheet and drawing said elongate-means and the portion of the sheet wound thereontoward andinto a con: tracted position adjacent the inner edge of said sheet. v

I 2. An awning-of the type described, compris ing: a ='supporting frame, including vertical: members spaced laterall-y from a structure'and horizontal members interconnecting the upper ends of said-yerticalmembers and said structure; a-flexible awning-of sheet'form; means for securingthe inner longitudinal. edge of said awning to theesupporting structure; an elongate member of a Vlength'rsubstantially equal 'to the length of said awning; means forpermanently connecting the elongate :member tosaid awning adjacent the outer-longitudinal edge thereof; connector meansspacedlycarried by said' awning adjacent theouter longitudinal edge thereof; connector means carried by said vertical members adjacent the upper ends thereof; and resilient means normally urging said last named connector means downwardly of said vertical members, said last named-connector means beingreleasably engageable with said Tfirstnamed connector means, for resiliently .holding .said awning ina fullynextended position TOVGIlYiIlg the horizontal -mem bers ofsaid frameyrsaid; awning, upon disengagementofisaid connector means, being adapted .to be wound upon said elongate member as the same -is -revolved, the-awning as it is woundupon said elongate-member carrying .the latter member andLthe portionnof, the awning wound thereon over said horizontal membersto a position in which the :telongate "member .and the awning wound thereon is adjacentsaidsupporting structure.

ELBY N. ARNOLD,

iREFERENCES CITED The followlng references are of record'in the file 'of'this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Olsen July ,1, [1947 

